The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-09-22
Memories of the Old Fair Grounds.

1t seems as though something was a
good ways off-somethiDg that never
can return just as it used to do, year
after year; it seems like July with nc
Fourth, December without Christ
mas, November turkeys fat and nc
Thanksgiving DAYS. this fall in the
year of our Lord, one thousand eight
hundred and eighty-seven, and nc
county fair at Abilene. Other grounds
can be obtained, other buildings erected,
another speed ring graded but it would
be like starting home in a new coun-
try to the old Dickinson county resi-
dents, who have watched the beautiful
grove of cottonwoods, mere twigs, that
were planted eleven years ago on the
old fair grounds, grow to be stately
trees; who year after year, with feel
ings of satisfaction and pride noticed
how in the last twelve months, as they
annually came to these grounds, that
the limbs of the trees were widening
and spreading, and the leaves thicken-
ing, until the grounds between the
main building and the grand stand, at
last were becoming such cool, pleasant
resort, and the foliage furnished per-
| feet shade, wherein those who came
from distance could eat their noon
day lunch, and old friends meet and
talk over events that had TRANSFERRED in
the last twelve months. But this world
can present strange contrasts in a few
short months. On the south side OF
the race track where yearly John Hal
stead, of Enterprise, used to speed
Honest john; where Harris and
Rogers, of Solomon, Jim Brady, then OF
Enterprise, Judge CulbertsOn. Milt
3renizer, Frank Ball, Jim Slough
Curtis & Hoisington, George Hoffman
and ether Abilene boys, used to watch
with so much pride, and time with
their stop watches, Tand with hearts
that sometimes almost stopped beating
on account of the time, good or bad,
made by bessie Curtis, +" "Daisy Har-
ris," "Old Bob" Brown Charley
prairie Star" Harry" etc,-nOw
speeds the iron horse on the great Santa
Fe track. And where the judges
stand was located, where "Stam" used
to preside, stands the switch bar that
turns the iron horse off the track, where
he can be swung around on the turn
table ready for another start. The tel
egraph wire crosses the track nearly al
the same point where ''Stam" and his
colleagues used to judge whether il
was a neck and neck heat, or a full hall
length ahead. Where George Hoffman
used to lead "Brown Charlie up to-
wards the west end Of the home stretch
and give ''Skip' pointers how to wort
the boys, so Charlie" would be an Eli
are the Santa Fe stock yards, where
George will be found in the future skip
ping around after steers and endeayOr
ing to point some contrary hogs nos'
up the shute towards stock ear.
Then we will miss Honest John Rob
son, who took so much delight in seein;
the fruit display; the man who 70
years urged the farmers of this count,
both with tongue and pen, to plan
orchards. ]. NJ. Shepherd was Away
present with fine display of apple
from his orchard; also e.. Il. Smith, o
Detroit, and several others that wer
i equally interested in fruit. We Away
2 knew where to find them-in the south
: west corner of the building. The
: right east and adjoining them, wer
our home sewing machine and orga
agents. Then came the big pumpkin!
5 corn ears, squashes, big eornstalks, etc
hut above them all lowered that hi